The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-26
ONLY A LITTLE LOST.
How a Misplaced Carving Knife
and a Little Girl
Combined to Destroy a Whole
FamiIy's Pleasure.

and hold up her head and not go to
sleep. Of course, she could do all this,
she meant to show them. So she just
sat down in her own little chair, and sat
perfectly still for five seconds. "There,'
cried she, jumping up again. "Can't I,
can't II I guess I've had a birthday, and
I'm not a baby at ALL"
BE Annita did not go to the concert,
nor did any of the family. I think they
would have gone if Annita had not made
mud pids that afternoon, or if they had
not used silver-plated knives altogether
for the table, or if they had not had
| strawberries for tea.
You see Annita could not be cured of
! making pies. "Time will cure her,"
said her father, contentedly, hunting for
a decently clean spot on Annita's face to
! kiss. One does not like to kiss dirt,
| even on the face of ones own child.
| But Annita's mother and sisteQs were
not satisfied to wait for the time cure,
thinking of the washing and the dirty
face and hands---above all thinking of
the carving knife. That WIS the great
est trouble. For mud pies cannot be
made without a knife to dig dirt with,
and Annita never returned the knives
she borrowed. So n after the other
of the kitchen knives went out to the
mud bakery, and never came in again.
At last there were left only the carving
knife and the plated table knives, which
could not be borrowed, being wisely
kept On the top shelf Of the china closet,
a region Annita had never been able to
explore.
Tea was ready at 8 o'clock, all except
cutting the bread, the cheese and some
cold ham. Then the carving knife could
not be found; and Florence Benedict,
who had been preparing tea, went out
to look for it. The bakery had been
moved, and so evidently had the knife;
for it was nowhere to be seen. Then
Annita had to be found, of course. She
was under the lalge ~tir-tree in the front
yard, dressing a dolly.
"Where is the carving knife, Annita?"
asked Florence.
81 know where it is" faid Annita,
without looking up.
"Well, where?" askedh Florence.
"Tell me quick, dear"
"Well-it's-only a little Rind of lost,
Florence" said Annita, gravely. OTIS
up in the garnet, or else it's down in
the cellar, or else out%by the barn, or
else in the front yard, or the back one,
or-ahind the wool-pile."
"Good gracious, Annita, do you sup
pose | can go to all those places in a
hurry and tea waiting2 Come and help
me find it,
''But l am 'frald Charlotte Henrietta
will be spoiled if | leave her."
'Oh! that old doll without head or
legs or arms! No, she won't, dear.
Come, along and help mel" said
Florence.
Annita slowly left her play, and began
to look for the knife with Florence.
Just then, Hattie came out to ask why
tea was o served; but, seeing her sis
tiers hunting, she also Joined in the
search at nee.
A few minutes later, Johnnie, being
hungry gohnnie was always hungry,
came out to help the girls.
When Mrs. BeRedict saw them all
wandering about through the shrub
berry, looking i~ntently at the grass, she
knew Immediately what had happenedo
So she came out and began to look, too.
Sam and Henry anne along just then;
and, as these family promenades in search
of the carving knife had often been
taken before, they knew just what was
wanted, and al that they could have
no tea until the knife was found. So
they joined in the search, though I do
not think their help would have eyer
found anything; for Sam had new boots,
and had to look at them most of the
time, and Henry, whose name was Will
liam Henry Harrison, and who was to be
a celebrity, turned round and round in
the garden walk and scratched his
head. This was the way he always
hunted for his hat.
It was not long before Mr.. Benedict
came in through the front gate, bringing
some boxes of strawberries for tea.
These he put down on the piazza, in
order to help the rest find the knife.
Of course, everybody looked in the
same spot. Annita and Florence went
out bare spot on the north side of
the house, where the bakery Yas gen
orally located, and hunted carefully;
but the knife was not to be seen. Then
Mrs. Benedict, knowing how carelessly
the children always looked, followed
them. Mr.. Benedict could not think of
any place else to look, so he followed
his wife. Then Sam and Henry, think
ing there must be some reason for every
body looking there, came and looked,
too. So it happened that the whole
family began to follow each other in q
49,